Bookbinder and book employing the same



Oct. 24, 1944 G. PARMELEE BOOKBINDER AND BOOK EMPLOYING THE SAME Filed Dec. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR. GAZbB/ZPQ/TW BY Oct. 24, 1944. PARMELEQ 21,360,972

BOOKBINDER AND BOOK EMPLOYING THE SAME Fiied Dec. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

Giderzi Fez/"make,

Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOKBINDER AND BOOK EMPLOYING THE SAME 6 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in book binding has more particular application to inexpensive means for binding a stack of sheets to form an assembly of said sheets or a book that may be manipulated and used without the individual sheets becoming loose or disassociated.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for binding together a stack of punched sheets in a manner which will permit freedom of movement for turning the sheets to expose the under sheet but which will effectively prevent the sheets from becoming loose or disconnected from the bound stack.

Another object is to provide inexpensive means for holding in connected relation a stack of punched sheets and which will have application to all book binding operations where punched sheets of paper are required to be bound.

Another object is to provide a connecting member which will function just as efiectively as coiled wire for loosely retaining a stack of punched sheets in pad or book form and which connecting member can therefore be substituted for coiled wire as heretofore used.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a plan view showing the connecting member of the invention prior to folding along a longitudinal line;

Figure 2 is a perspective View interlacing strip;

Figure 3 is a similar perspective view showing the locking strip with the connecting member folded over the same;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the combined locking strip and connecting member applied in accordance with the invention to a stack of paper sheets;

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the book of Figure 4 with the pages opened to illustrate the manner in which the sheets are retained by the connecting member;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 but showing the connecting member following the last operation thereon;

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line '|1 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a perspective View showing the exterior of the completed pad or book incorporating th improved binder of the invention.

of the looking or Referring to the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the improved connecting member of the invention which is employed in a novel manner as a binder for retaining a stack of sheets in loosely connected relation to form a pad, book, magazine or the like. In Figure 1 the connecting member l5 is shown in plan view, the same comprising base portions l6 and Il joined by the connecting strips l8. It will be observed that the end strips are spaced a distance inwardly from each end of the connecting member and that the strips are separated by a cut-out portion wherein the paper or material of the member has been removed. The openings between the com necting strips in Figure 1 are shown by the numeral l9. The connecting members may be formed from a continuous ribbon by merely punching openings l9 and then severing each member at intervals along the dotted lines 20. Any desired length of connecting member may be produced in this manner and for pads or books of different thickness it will benecessary to vary the length of the connectingstrips 18, since a thick book will require a connecting member hav-- ing longer strips than a relatively thin book.

Figur 2 illustrates the locking strip indicated by numeral 2|, which is conveniently formed of a length of-material approximately equal to the length of the connectng member and which may be folded upon itself. The connecting member is also folded along a longitudinal line and the locking strip is designed for location between the folded portions of the connecting strips IS. The association which the parts will ultimately have is shown in Figure 3, it being understood, of course, that the locking strip 2| can not be threaded through the folded portions of the connecting strips l8 until after the connecting member has been inserted through the punched openings of the stack of sheets which are to be bound into pad or book form.

In Figure 4 the stack of sheets is indicated by numeral 23, the same being provided at one end with a plurality of spaced, substantially rectan gular slots 24. The rectangular slots are spaced to coincide with the spacing of the connecting strips and each of the folded connecting strips is passed through one of said slots whereby their folded ends project above the stack of sheets while their base portions have location below the stack. Following this operation the locking strip 2| is inserted through the upper folded portions of the connecting strips. The threading of the locking strip functions to lock the connecting member l5 since with the strip 2| in place the said member can not be withdrawn. Neither can the member be inserted through the rectangular openings in the stack to an extent greater than that permitted by the base portions l6 and FL The threading of the locking strip through the folded portion of the strips N3 of the connecting member substantially completes the operations of binding the assembled sheets in accordance with the invention, but it is desired to finish off the connecting member so that the same will present a pleasing appearance and so that the member will not in any manner interfere with the use of the assembled sheets or with their manipulation such as the turning of the sheets to expose successive sheets.

The book of Figure 4 is opened up as illustrated in Figure 5 so that numeral 25 indicates the inside surface of either the front or back cover and numeral 26 indicates either the first or last page of said book, respectively. It is generally desirable to locate the exposed portions of the connecting strip toward the back of the book, in which location the same will not be objectionable. With the book in open position it will be seen that the locking strip 2| and the ends of the connecting strip [8 lie flat against cover page 25, whereas, the base portions are in contact with page ZB. The parts may be glued or otherwise secured to theirrespective pages and when the connecting member is finished in this manner the same will appear as shown in the sectional view, Figure 7. However, the appearance of the pres ent binder can be materially improved by folding the base portions 16 and I1 upon the ends of the connecting strips so as to completely cover said strips and also the locking strip 2!. When the base portions have been folded and adhesively or otherwise secured in place the present binder will appear as shown in Figure 6. A sectional view of the structure is shown in Figure 8.

The cover 25 when returned to its original position will completely shield those parts of the connecting member except the strips l8 that extend through the rectangular spaced openings 24 and are thus exposed. The completed appearance of the book is shown in Figure 9. The connecting strips l8 function as the retaining means for loosely retaining the sheets of the book in assembled relation. The said strips present a pleasing appearance since they are equally spaced and a connecting strip projects from each of the rectangular openings 24. The individual sheets of the assembled book are effectively retained while at the same time the individual pages can be readily manipulated as by turning to expose successive sheets.

The material of the connecting member may comprise fabric, paper, leather, or any other material having the characteristics desired. The looking or interlacing strip 2| may likewise be formed of material similar to that of the con necting member or contrasting material may be used, as where increased strength is desired for said locking strip, or where the locking strip should have some degree of stiffness to facilitate threading through the folded connecting strips of the connecting 'member. Since the locking strip is not visible from the exterior of the completed book the color of the material used for the same is not essential. However, in most book binding operations the connecting member will be selected so that strips l8 will have a color such as will enhance the decorative appearance of the exterior of the book.

The insertion of the folded connecting member l5through the spaced, substantially rectangular slots 24 can be performed manually by the operator, or this step in the binding operation can be performed automatically by machinery designed for the purpose. A similar statement can be made for the locking strip 2].

What is claimed is:

1. In a book comprising a stack of sheets having a plurality of perforations at one end, of a binder for retaining the sheets in connected relation while permitting manipulation such as turn ing of the sheets to expose successive sheets,

comprising a member folded upon itself thereby providing folded strips terminating in base portions and which strips are longitudinally spaced so that the member simulates a comb in appearance, said strips aligning with and extending through said perforations to project beyond the stack on one surface thereof, and a locking strip joining the projecting ends of the folded, connected strips, said locking strip having location between the folded portions of said connected strips.

2. In a book comprising a stack of sheets having a plurality of perforations at one end, of a binder for retaining the sheets in connected relation while permitting manipulation such as turning of the sheets to expose successive sheets, comprising a flexible member folded upon itself to provide similar sections each comprising a base portion having longitudinally spaced, projecting strips whereby the member simulates a comb in appearance with the strips having a length in excess of the thickness of the stack, the strips of said sections being connected at their free ends as a result of said fold and said connected strips aligning with and extending through the perforations to project beyond the stack, whereby the base portions are located adjacent one surface of the stack and the spaced, connected strips are located adjacent the opposite surface, and a locking strip joining the projecting ends of the connected strips.

3. In a book as defined by claim 2, wherein the locking strip has location between the folded portions of the connected strips.

4. In a book as defined by claim 2, wherein the locking strip has location between the folded portions of the connected strips and wherein said strips are adhesively secured to one of the sheets of the stack.

5. In a book as defined by claim 2, characterized by the locking strip having location between the folded portions of the connected strips and wherein said strips are adhesively secured to one of the sheets of said stack and the base portions are likewise adhesively secured to one of the sheets of the stack.

6. A binder for connecting a perforated stack of paper sheets in a manner permitting manipulation of the sheets, comprising a flexible member folded upon itself to form similar sections in superposed relation, each section comprising a base portion having a plurality of longitudinally spaced strips projecting from the base portion, whereby the member is similar in appearance to a comb and wherein the said strips of the sections are connected at their free ends opposite the base portion as a result of said fold, the said connected strips being adapted to align with perforations in the stack of sheets to be connected thereby, and a locking strip for joining the connected strips at their free ends after said connected strips have been inserted through the perforations, said locking strip being adapted for location between the folded portions of the connected strips.

GILBERT PARMELEE. 

